Hyperborea Rising

Journal of Faustus - 9

Of Vampires and Siblings

23

JAN/17

It was disappointing to see Julian go. I might not see eye to eye with the worshippers of Christ but he was a man I could respect. I wish him the best in his pilgrimage, may he find the absolution he seeks.

As for ourselves, we finalised the path our journey will take. We could have merely taken a nice relaxing walk or ventured through undead infested lands and up through the Alps. We obviously settled on the much more dangerous path. Besides, we would get to see lovely Ravenna, my family home! Sure, the place was probably going to be completely looted but I just so happened to know where some treasures were hidden so it could still be profitable.

As it turns out the place was still occupied.

We organised a meeting with “The Lady” who claimed dominion over my family home! The impudence, the scandal! They even called her a striking beauty, which given that she was undead I assumed was a grotesque joke, much like how superstitious villagers call monsters that dwell in the forests “kind” as to avoid their wrath. I was pleasantly surprised. There is of course one type of undead known for their unearthly beauty, vampires. She also seemed to be reconstructing the city and generally upholding the rule of law. She even has some of my siblings pledging their allegiance to her. Seems I can’t go around calling myself “Last of my Name” anymore. For their part, those impudent whelps own the family estate, an estate which is rightfully mine. At this point a plan begins to form. Vampires are also known for their egos and their vanity. If I appealed to this and also showed her how great I was and the righteousness of my claim I could get what is rightfully mine back with no need for conflict. It was perfect. The execution of the plan was perfect as well.

Too perfect.

Apparently, vampires are a bit clingy and don’t take “But I want to slay a dracolich” as a good enough excuse to disappear for an unspecified period of time. Vampires also have lots of enchantment magic. Thankfully, the group managed to save me from becoming her thrall. Although, on reflection, it didn’t seem that bad. I was happy, was probably going to marry one of the most attractive beings on this plane, most likely produce enough to pay off my debt before it becomes unmanageable. Wait, why the hell did I even resist?

You know, I said I wouldn’t “go down to the docks” to make money because I have some dignity but this entire episode was a slightly more elaborate version of that plan. I didn’t even get money (directly) from this.